Incubators Anonymous

[ki4got]

Quote: yes, i meant at the peak of the air cell, so that it won't interfere with zipping. lower down the side tends to weaken the shell some and zipping may not progress as well in my experience.

 

[SRHartley]

yes, i meant at the peak of the air cell, so that it won't interfere with zipping. lower down the side tends to weaken the shell some and zipping may not progress as well in my experience.

Ok, well that makes me feel better then. I went in the very top of the air sac end. When I got it open i used a flashlight to see in and the little bugger was moving all over the place. So i am hoping it hatches tonight.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

were they in a pen with others or separated by themselves? if in a pen, i'd say that's where the problem lay. they need to be by themselves for at least the first week, for them to bond with the chicks properly. and then put her with her chicks in a separate enclosure inside the main pen for at least a few days so the others get to know the chicks too, and don't try killing them right off the bat. my best broodies were those kept isolated for a week or more before letting them out with the chicks. the ones that hatched either outside (free ranged and hidden well) or in the main coop with everyone else, were those who lacked the mommy skills, because they had too many other birds to worry about, rather than just concentrating on chicks. I have 4 broodies currently awaiting chicks. they're currently in the main coops, spread out to their satisfaction, but when it comes time to give them chicks they will be isolated for a few days (to make sure they stay broody) then given the chicks overnight. i've managed to even include a few older chicks since they're all new to her, and they seem to help the younger ones ask momma to get off her butt and find them FOOD! my current super-momma buff orpington. she's been free ranging now for 3 days. this was yesterday. she started off with 32, good thing i sold off the other 17. she's got 15 under there now.

What a sweet momma! They weren't separate so I'm sure that was the problem. I will try again when someone goes broody again. Actually I have my silkie broody again.

 

[nicasioeggs]

OK..I have 40 Ancona Duck Eggs in my INCUBATOR!! WHAT am I thinking?!!!

I usually hatch under a broody chicken....and some just hatched naturallu this way...and Im still waiting on these babies!! Wow I will have SO many Anconas..and they are so hard to sell ...just too cute to give up!

Wish me luck on my duck incubator experience!!

:And if anyone is in Northern California...please come grab a few from me!!! hahaha

Ritsa

www.nicasioeggs.com

 

[ki4got]

YAY!!! my Sandhill colored dorkings will be here this week!

now to decide... brooder, or broody. I'm leaning toward broody. so much easier over the long haul.

has anyone had any experience giving shipped chicks to a broody? i've given new hatched plus a couple older ones, but never a whole batch of 2-3 day olds.

 

[chickobsessed]

Oh, I SO belong here.  Is there an empty chair around anywhere? I brought some doughnuts ... 

Just finishing up my first hatch.  Have a couple dozen more cooking in the coolerbator and am building a hatcher and planning a bigger cabinet style incubator.  What I'm gonna do with all these chickens, I have no idea.  Are people generally offended if you start giving chickens as gifts? 

 

I don't know why they would offended. I would be thrilled to get chicks as gifts. Lol

 

[TheCrazyChick]

My oldest son told my daughter yesterday that they need to do an intervention. On ME! I calmly explained that just because 5 months ago I had never even HEARD of raising chickens in the city and now have ...

• 2 laying hens
• 7 point-of lay-any-minute-now pullets
• 6 five week olds in the big brooder (I didn't even know what a brooder WAS 6 months ago!)
• 5 newborn hatched chicks
• 21 eggs in lockdown
• 48 eggs set in another incubator
• and 2 dozen eggs waiting for incubator space to open up

... doesn't mean I have an addiction. It just means I have a hobby for the first time in my life that I actually ENJOY!

Now that I've read this thread though, I'd like to say "My name is Dee and I am addicted to chickens."

 

[insanity]

We are on day 22 and 1 of 6 got out yesterday morning. The remaining 5 have not pipped,movement seems to have stopped, and I no longer hear any chirping.How long do I wait before I give up on them?
Thanks

 

[SRHartley]

ok so now day 24, i still have the one chick that refuses to hatch. I removed the tape and checked again and you can see the heartbeat movement through the membrane and see it moving. I am a little concerned as it is later than the others and it seems the membrane looks "tighter" today. Almost form fighting.

 

[ChickNmamma]

ok so now day 24, i still have the one chick that refuses to hatch. I removed the tape and checked again and you can see the heartbeat movement through the membrane and see it moving. I am a little concerned as it is later than the others and it seems the membrane looks "tighter" today. Almost form fighting.

Can you still see veins in the membrane? It sounds like it is being shrink wrapped.. that is not good. Once the membrane dries out the chick can't break through it. I would wrap the egg in a warm damp paper towel to get the humidity up really high around that egg and keep the membrane from drying out. Hopefully it can break through it.